Easy Mexican Sweet Corn Tamales

It’s high time we share our recipe for Tamales de Elote.

Here we’re sharing this {Tamales de Elote} Easy Mexican Sweet Corn Tamales vegetarian recipe for Mexican-style sweet corn tamales that aren’t 100% authentic (read on for why) but are easy and seriously delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you love sweet corn and tamales as much as we do, well it’s only logical that the two be even more magical when combined. I could have them even as dessert if you ask me, but yeah, I will add some spicy salsa too.

Recipe Ingredients

These are the ingredients that you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Dried corn husks
• Corn kernels
• Masa harina
• Packed brown sugar or piloncillo
• Baking powder 
• Kosher salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Whole milk or almond milk
• Pure vanilla extract
• Unsalted butter
• Green chiles
• Salsa Verde
• Lime wedges

• Corn kernels

How To Make This Recipe

These are the instructions that you’ll need to follow to make this recipe:

1. Soak the husks: Bring a large pot or teakettle of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the corn husks, submerging them completely under the water. Let sit until soft and pliable, pressing down to cover them in water every few minutes.
2. Cook the corn: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil then add the corn and cook until it’s tender, then drain. Meanwhile, rehydrate the masa.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients: Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the masa harina with sugar, baking powder, and salt. If making sweet tamales, add the grated cinnamon now.
4. Rehydrate masa harina: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk for 30 seconds, until just scalded and steaming. If making sweet tamales, add the vanilla extract now. Pour the warm milk over the masa and stir until just combined. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
5. Pulse the corn: In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, pulse the corn for about 6 pulses until a chunky puree forms. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the corn puree into the bowl with the masa mixture and stir until evenly combined.
6. Beat the butter: Place the butter and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. At medium-low speed, add the cooled masa mixture in six additions, beating well after each addition. If making spicy tamales, stir in the chopped green chiles now.
7. Assemble the tamales: Remove 1 soaked husk from the water and arrange on a work surface with the narrow end pointing away from you. On the wide end, spread 1/4 cup of the tamale dough into a 5-inch long rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch husk border at the bottom.
   Fold in the long sides of the husk, overlapping them to enclose the filling. Fold the narrow end toward you, over the tamale. Fold the wide end over the tamale and place seaside down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining corn husks and tamale dough.
8. Start the steamer: Fill the bottom of the steamer with 2 inches of water. Place the steamer insert over the base and place any small corn husks in the bottom then add the tamales. Place a few of the remaining corn husks on top of the assembled tamales and cover the insert with a lid. Bring the water to a boil.
   Reduce the heat to moderately low so the water is at a simmer and steam the tamales for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check the water level periodically and add more as needed.
9. Check If The Tamales Are Cooked: To check if a tamal is cooked, remove one tamale to a work surface and carefully open the husk. If the husk peels back without much sticking, the tamale is cooked. If not, cover the pot again and check the tamales every 10 minutes until the filling no longer sticks to the husk. Uncover and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
10. Serve: Serve the sweet tamales with crema, additional cinnamon, and queso fresco. Serve the spicy tamales with crema, crumbled queso fresco, and lime wedges.

Defining Elote

Just to make sure we’re on the same page, let’s talk about the word “elote.” Since corn originated in Mexico, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of specific words related to the vegetables. There are a few uses for the word “elote” including in reference to the garnished grilled street corn that is adored by many Mexican food lovers. 

But in Mexico (and most of Central America), “elote” more generally refers to corn that is still on the cob. As in fresh, recently-harvested corn as opposed to dried corn. Like so many words used in Mexico, the word comes from the Nahuatl word “elotitutl” which translates to “tender ear.”

What Is A Tamal de Elote

Based on that definition, you can probably surmise that a “Tamal de Elote” is a tamal made with fresh corn. 

It is most common to see this tamal in Mexico in late summer into early fall when corn is harvested. At the most basic, it is a plant-based tamal that is prepared with fresh corn kernels that are ground and then placed in fresh corn husks before being cooked. It has a sweet flavor (because the corn is very tender) and its consistency is smooth.

Where Are These Tamales From?

Also known as an “uchepo,” the fresh corn tamale is a dish that comes from the Tierra Caliente area of Mexico, which extends across the states Michoacán and Guerrero, Mexico. Traditionally an uchepo is served with crema and a cooked tomato sauce.

These days you find variations on this tamal throughout Central America with some sweet and others savory. 

This Is A Family Of Tamales

Here are a few variations you’ll find in Mexico: 

• In Chiapas, they’re known as picte and made with lard and sugar.
• In Milpa Alta, they’re made with sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
• In Oaxaca, they’re made with roasted corn, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. 
• In Guerrero, they have egg yolks and milk added. 
• In Nayarit they’re made with squash and sugar. 
• In Zacatecas with poblano chiles and pork loin. 
• In Sonora it’s also squash but also with lard, requesón cheese, cream, and evaporated milk.

How This Recipe Differs

There is a lot more variety in corn in Mexico and the type used for making fresh corn tamales tends to be drier and less juicy than that we find in the United States. 

As such, we’re adding in some masa harina (masa corn flour) to thicken the mixture even though that’s not traditional. 

Tips To Make This Recipe

• Easy Tamales: The reason that we consider this one of our easiest tamales recipes is because you simply make the dough and fill the husks as opposed to tamales that are filled, which take a few more steps to assemble.
• Use great masa harina: You can use Maseca brand masa harina in this recipe but we prefer the organic brands like Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, and Masienda. Feel free to use blue corn masa harina if you find it. 
• Make Them Ahead: Yes, like other tamales you can make these well ahead of time. To do so, either freeze them uncooked and then steam them from frozen (probably 20 to 30 minutes more than the recipe calls for) until the husks peel away easily. Alternatively, you can cook them fully and then freeze them and then steam them until they’re defrosted. 

Variations On This Recipe

• Make It Spicy: While this version is a touch sweet, you could go to one extreme or the other and add in rajas to make it spicier or cream and more sugar or even browned butter to make it more indulgent. 
• Change The Garnish: We’re serving them with lime, cream, cheese, and some crushed chile flakes but feel free to use this spiced sugar syrup or this chile chocolate sauce for more sweetness.
• Vegan Sweet Corn Tamales: You can easily make these vegan tamales by using plant-based butter or coconut oil for the fat and then garnishing with a plant-based sour cream and a nut cheese. 

Okay, that’s it! Go stock up on all your bar essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!